To appease the irked Samajwadi Party the Congress sacked Satyavrat Chaturvedi as spokesman within 48 hours of SP issuing an ultimatum.

To appease the irked Samajwadi Party the Congress sacked Satyavrat Chaturvedi as spokesman within 48 hours of SP issuing an ultimatum.

Chaturvedi had said that SP leader Amar Singh has lost his mental balance and advised him to seek medical help. An enraged Singh told the Congress leadership to choose between the alliance and Chaturvedi.

“Chaturvedi has been removed from the panel of party spokespersons,” a Congress leader said.

Amar Singh said he was happy that the Congress had taken cognizance of Chaturvedi’s remarks, but refused to elaborate. “I do not wish to comment on the internal affairs of another political party,” Singh said.

Chaturvedi has ever been willing to cock a snook at SP leader Amar Singh. On an earlier occasion, he had said Singh needed psychiatric help. At that time, following Singh’s complaint, the PM had asked Chaturvedi to show restraint. After his latest outburst, the SP again took the matter to the PM.

AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh had also earned the SP’s ire, so much so that Amar Singh reportedly wanted him out of the Congress’s negotiating team for seat sharing talks.

Singh has attributed to Digvijay, news reports quoting Congress sources that the SP was seeking illegitimate favours from the government on issues such as the disproportionate assets case against SP chief Mulyam Singh Yadav.